THE fundraising team behind Stoneleigh's famous festive lights house are celebrating after their most successful year.

Last Christmas was the eighth year the volunteers pulled out all the stops to decorate Harvey and Debbie Preston's home, in Walsingham Gardens, and their efforts raised £4,800 for charity - the most they have made to date.

The Christmas castle-themed animatronic display featured twinkling lights, interactive buttons and a cable car to carry donations from the street to the safety of the house.

Hundreds of people flocked to see the home and donate money to the Royal Marsden Hospital cancer charity.

The lights, which were switched on by entertainer Lionel Blair at an event on December 8, are designed and installed by a dedicated team of volunteers including Damien Cleary, Arthur Spurdens, Spencer Preston and Curly Preston, as well as the homeowners themselves.

Over eight years the organisers have raised a total of more than £25,000 in memory of Mr Preston's friend Robert Hibben, who was treated at the Royal Marsden before dying of bone cancer at the age of 37.

One of the organising team, engineer Mr Cleary, said: "It started out with decorating the house in Christmas lights and each year it's grown and evolved to what it is today."